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by brunette-barbie14
Summary: What really happened the day Lancelot was taken from his family. In the movie we only caught a glimpse of Lancelot's life pre-Hadrians Wall but there is so much more to the story. What did he really lose?


***Disclaimer-I don't own anything but the plot line, characters, and anything else I may have created in this story. -Thanks and Enjoy!**

Goodbyes and promises

It was a cold day the sun was barely peeking through the dark dreary clouds. The rolling green fields went on for miles like a never ending sea. Next to a small river a few huts dotted the area with people dressed in heavy furs milled about. A family sat in the bitter cold as the wind and mist enveloped them. Twin girls of seven winters with dark brown hair, a young boy of six winters with light golden hair, and a father with dark hair and a creased brow sat and silently ate their daily meals.

Julianna, one of the twins hardly touched her food. Instead she sat and looked towards the North where earlier that day her elder brother Lancelot had rode off. Though she was young she had this feeling in her stomach that immediately alerted her that something was wrong. Her father's solemn face as Lancelot rode off was enough to raise suspicion in her mind. Her mother continued on with her chores as if she were in a trance she did not hum like she usually does while she worked and she did not smile not even at her children. In fact she had not looked her children in the eyes all day. Her brother and sister went on with their day normally because they did not think anything was wrong with this ominous day. However, Julianna knew better. As her mother came out and silently took her place across from her father Julianna drew up her courage and asked the question that had been at the tip of her tongue all day.

"Where is Lancelot?" Julianna asked with a shaky yet curious voice.

There was a pregnant pause as her parents stopped and glanced at each other. Her mother gaze turned from her husband to her children and her face was enveloped with this look of pure anguish. A lone tear fell from her mother's eye and she quickly turned away from her family as if she couldn't bare the sight of them. She covered her mouth and soft sounds of sorrow filled the eerie silence of the little campsite. Julianna was taken aback; she had never seen her mother cry before and it only alarmed her even more.

Her mother's soft cries turned it to great shouts of pain and sorrow and her father immediately stood up and laid a hand on his distressed wife. It was neither a caressing hand nor a rough hand, but it was a firm hand meant to comfort. His wife stood and buried her head in his chest. As the man looked down upon his distressed wife he looked at each of his children stopping on Julianna. The little girl would never forget that look she received from her father a look of sadness, despair and uncontrollable depression, as if he blamed himself for Lancelot's reason of absence.

"Lancelot is keeping watch," her father replied simply in a weary voice.

"For what?" asked Sienna Julianna's older sister by a couple of seconds. She had light blue eyes and her voice was sweet and timid. She quickly abandoned her food and went to her mother's side to comfort her.

Her father was quiet before responding in a whisper filled with such hate and bitterness that it truly terrified his children.

"For Romans."

Fear crossed over their eyes Sienna gasped and the youngest brother Caleb ran to his mother's side trying to hide behind her skirts. Everyone knew it is never a good thing when Romans are mentioned. They were cruel, and greedy men. They either wanted something from you or they wanted to kill you. It was known by young and old that they were truly evil people.

Julianna stared at her father fear clearly in her eyes but before she could say anything she was interrupted by a horse coming towards them. Her family looked to see who it was she saw her mother held on to Sienna and her youngest son, and her father's stood.

It was Lancelot.

"They are here," Lancelot said a little out of breath as he dismounted from his horse.

Julianna looked at Lancelot and then to her mother and father what was going on? Julianna started to become frantic as she saw the Romans came closer and closer. Soon they were upon them and the tribe came out to meet them. Julianna though frozen with fear watched as the soldiers looked upon the people of her tribe with such disgust she wondered what they ever did to deserve such hate. As she pondered this question as only a seven year old could one of the soldiers upon a great white horse came forward. His uniform showing the elaborate designs that only the best craftsman could create for the men who could afford it, or specifically the Roman that could afford it. As this powerful man came forward he was followed by another soldier of lesser rank who carried a chest that held a document. The General took the document from the chest and in a booming arrogant voice he declared his reason for being there.

_"We were sent from the holy church of Rome to come and collect capable young men of eleven and sixteen to serve the Holy Roman boys ranging from eleven and sixteen gather your belongings we will be leaving when you are ready. If we receive any resistance you will all be at the mercy of me and my men seen before you, and I can assure we will show no mercy to anyone." _He stopped to give a hard stare to the crowd of uneasy patrons and with a cruel laugh cursing them and calling them cowards under his breath he returned to his men. Throwing the document back into the chest and slamming it closed in the soldiers' hands. They both returned to their fellow soldiers and countrymen.

Julianna watched these men with disgust and she did not truly understand the extent this declaration would have on her life. That was until she watched Lancelot enter into their small hut to gather his things. She watched as other sons started to retreat toward their huts. She watched as mothers fell to the ground begging the Roman's not to take their sons. She watched the Romans laugh at the women as they begged and called them worthless. Julianna couldn't breathe she didn't want Lancelot to leave her. Who would teach her to ride and fight properly? He promised he would teach her. Of course she loved Sienna and Caleb. But she loved Lancelot the most he was her greatest friend. She did not want him to go and she planned to make it known to him.

She ran into the hut and with a desperate plea she cried, "No! Don't leave me please stay," she cried as she ran to Lancelot and hugged him. His sorrowful gaze rested upon the little girl's head as she buried her face into his stomach. Tears had erupted from the tiny child and Lancelot tried to calm her down by gently rubbing her back.

"I must Julianna if I want to protect all of you from getting hurt. I must it is my duty."

"No! I'll go with you," Julianna said in between sobs.

"No you must stay here. You have to protect Sienna and Caleb, and mother and father too."

Lancelot then stroked her long chocolate hair and said "I'm not really leaving you I'll be with you right here," pointing to her chest where her heart would be.

"I'm going to miss you Lancelot," she said as she separated from him and tried to rid herself of her tears.

"Not as much as I will miss you."

They shared a smile his full of uncertainty, and hers full of a child's hope. He took her hand and started to leave the hut to say his final goodbye's when Julianna pulled away and went back into the hut to look for something. Lancelot continued on outside as Julianna rummaged and searched through their tiny home.

Finally he was ready to leave and as he approached his parents and he saw the look of sorrow and grief upon their brows he felt something that he never once truly experienced. It was the feeling of fear, the kind of fear that you feel low in your stomach that slowly grows to take over your body until it finally consumes you to the point where you no longer have control.

As Lancelot struggled to speak to his mother and father he heard a frantic little cry come from the hut.

"Lancelot! Lancelot!" Julianna yelled as she scampered towards the small crowd. When she reached him she was huffing and clearly out of breath, but she quickly handed him a wooden pendent that was carved into the shape of an animal figure. She looked at him and explained the reason for his gift, "I have one that matches so whenever you feel sad you can look at it and think of me and of home."

He laughed a little at her child like reasoning and he gave her a small hug and then looked upon his family. He looked at his brother and sisters and he silently wished he could stay and be the mean elder brother. He watched as his mother fought back tears as she held onto her remaining children as if they would be the next ones to be taken from her. Finally Lancelot met his father's remorseful gaze and he could see in his eyes the same realization he himself just accepted. The realization that this would be last time he ever saw his family again…

In a last attempt of keeping spirits high Lancelot mounted his horse and declared in his quiet voice, "I will come back."

At that point he didn't know who he was reassuring his family or himself.

As the group of men and boys slowly began to move away from the camp they suddenly came to a stop when they heard a yell piercing the cold air.

"Lancelot!" yelled his father. Lancelot turned back looking upon his home for the final time.

"RUSSSSSSSS!"

Lancelot turned away from the mighty roar of the crowd. The feeling of sadness consumed him body and soul, but he knew he had to be strong...he had to grow up. There was no use in living in the past he had to look to the future now and he had to survive. He is to become a Sarmatian Knight and he knew he would fight to his death to protect his family, not the Romans, but his family. With that sobering thought he gave his horse a mighty kick and he was soon flying across the planes of his homeland heading toward an unknown fate leaving his past in a cloud of dust.

A small figure appeared through that cloud of dust. Julianna ran towards the horses not wanting to lose sight of her brother. She ran as far as her little legs could take her until she could run no more and she dropped to the ground and cried to her heart's content. Wishing and begging the gods to bring Lancelot back. She stared in the distance watching as her brother grew smaller and smaller until the tears blurred her vision where she could no longer see her own hands in front of her, and it was at the moment as she sat on the damp and cold ground did she promise herself that one day she would find him, and she would bring home…

**AN:**

**So I think it was a big improvement from what I wrote before haha. What did you guys think? I know the writing and words are simple but I am by no means a professional. Lol This was just an idea that has been in my head a long time and I just wanted to get it out there and see what you all think! Right now it's just a short story but it could be developed into more…Please Read and Review thanks!**


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